Control apparatus and method, particularly for indicating purposes



May 9, 1933. M. HASELTON 1,908,604

CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY FOR INDICATI NG PURPOSES Filed June 25,.1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY-8 May 9, 1933. M. L. HASELTON CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD PARTICULARLY FOR INDICATING PURPOSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1929 ATTORNEYS Patented May 9, 1933 UNHTEDFSTFATES PATENT orrics MERTON L. HASELTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE TELEREG'ISTER COBPORATIQN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD, PARTICULARLY FOR INDICATING- FUEPOSES Application filed June 25,

My invention relates to a member or device utilizable for various purposes, such as for effecting an indication; my invention also relates to a method of operating a member or device, as aforesaid.

More particularly, my invention relates to an indicia-bearing drum actuated electromagnetically in accordance with a series of electrical impulses for movement about its axis to a predetermined position.

My invention has particular reference to an arrangement for so controlling the operation of a drum, as aforesaid, that the generation of a succeeding series of indicating impulses need not await the return of said drum from a prior indicating position.

Further advantages, objects and characteristics of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

My invention resides in the apparatus, mechanism, methods, features of construction and combination of parts of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my method and for an illustration of one of the many forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevat-ional view mechanism shown in Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly broken'away, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; V

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of the mechanism and is taken on the line H of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of an indicatingsystem involving a plurality of indicia-bcaring drums;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a cam embodied in the device;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partly'in section, particularly showing a limit switch mechanism; and I Fig. 8 is acircuit diagram. 7

My invention relates particularly 1 to an arrangement which may comprise. a plurality of the 1929. Serial No. 373,678.

of movable members or drums each bearing suitable indicia, as letters, numbers, words abbreviations, or the like, and disposed in side-by-side relation. By controls suitably effected, the aforesaid members or drums may be moved to predetermined positions to thereby convey information to an assemblage of persons. A particularly important application of my invention involves the display of information concerning the prices of stocks, bonds or the like. However, it shall be understood that my invention is not to be so limited. Neither is it to be limited to the utilization of a plurality of movable members or drums since, from some important aspects, my invention relates to a singie member or drum and the actuating mechanism therefor.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitably supported member carrying, in suit able spaced relation, a plurality of drums or wheels D which bear or exhibit indicia' or characters on their peripheral surfaces. In the example illustrated, each drum D is marked with the digital numbers zero, one, two, etc. individually visible throughopenin gs or apertures 2a formed ina face plate 2, said apertures 2a being alined with the respective drums'D.

As illustrated particularly in Fig. 1, each drum is disposed within a housing or frame formed by spaced side plates 3, 30. joined at the bottom'and top by members 4. 1

In the example shown, each drum D is a hollow cylindrical member journaled on a hub or member '5 carried by and rotatable on the member 1. For thus journaling a drum D, the latter has a circular disk 6 disposed interiorly thereof and securely fixed thereto. The disk 6 is fixed to a sleeve 7 freely rotatable on the hub 5. It follows, therefore, that drum D, disk 6 and sleeve 7 are rotatable as a unit on and with respect to the hub 5 and that the latter is freely rotatable on the mem her 1. 7

Drum D is biasedfor rotation in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 2, by a helical spring 8, one end of which is fixed to a pin 9. projecting laterally from the sideplate 3a and the other end of which is secured to the aforesaid sleeve 7.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the hub 5, at one end thereof, is formed as a ratchet. Coacting with said ratchet to limit rotation of the hub 5 to one direction is a pawl 10 pivoted on a pin 11 projecting laterally from the side plate 3a and biased in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, by a spring 12 connected to said pawl 10 and to the aforesaid side plate 3a.

Coacting with the aforesaid ratchet to move the hub 5 step-by-step is a pawl 13 pivoted at 14 on a lever 15 and biased in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, by a spring 16 connected to said pawl 13 and to the lever 15. Carried by the side plate 3a are brackets 17 and 18. Bracket 17 has a member 19 adjustably mounted therein to limit clockwise movement, Fig. 2, of lever 15. Bracket 18 has a member 20 adjustably mounted therein to limit clockwise movement, Fig. 2, of pawl 13. Side plate 3 also carries a bracket 21 which, in turn, carries a bowed spring 22 limiting translatory movement of pawl 13 under the influence of lever 15.

Lever 15 is pivoted at 15a to the side plate 3a and is biased in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, by a spring 23, the biasing tendency of which is adjustable in response to movement of a screw 24 threaded into an adjacent portion of the frame of the device.

The end of lever 15 removed from the pawl 13 is bifurcated for engagement with an extension 25a of an armature 25 pivoted on a rod 26 carried by lugs 27, 27 projecting laterally from the side plate 3. Armature 25 coacts with suitable electromagnetic mechanism herein shown as a set of coils 28, 28 mounted on a permanent magnet 29, the sides of which are received by the aforesaid members 4.

Secured to and rotatable with each hub 5 at the non-ratchet end thereof is a disk 30 which, on the face thereof away from the disk 6, is provided with spaced lugs or projections 31, Figs. 1 and 4, corresponding in number with the number of characters on the drum D. Pivoted to each projection 31 is a lever 32, all of the levers 32 being frictionally controlled in any suitable manner so that they remain in a position to which moved. To this end, a bowed spring 33 may be arranged to bias each lever 32 into engagement with its supporting projection 31.

Each lever 32, at one end 32a, is adapted to be actuated by a cam or member as hereinafter described. The other end 32?) of each lever 32 is adapted to coact with a lug or projection 34, Figs. 1 and 4, formed on the inner surface of drum D which also carries, if desired, a leaf spring 35 positioned, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 4, which prevents the drum D from rebounding when the projection 34 engages a lever 32.

Where the arrangement is as described above, it is desirable that the disk30 be provided with slots 30a disposed in the paths traversed by the respective levers 32 and each adapted to receive a portion of the end 325 of the adjacent lever 32.

In accordance with my invention, the aforesaid member 1 is non-rotatably mounted and, in efiect, is an axle on or with respect to which the hereinbefore described parts are rotatable. Member 1, however,is so mounted that it is freely, movable in a longitudinal sense. Any suitable arrangement may 'be utilized for restraining member 1 for movement, as aforesaid, such, for example, as illus' trated in Fig. 1 wherein that side plate 3 at the extreme left carries'a leafspring 36 having a polygonal aperture slidably receiving a shaft section of similar polygonal configuration. Where a construction such as spring 36 is utilized, the member 1 may carry a lateral pin 37 with which said spring 36 coacts, the latter tending to retain member 1 in the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

A cam or member 38 carried by and movable with the member 1 comprises a hub section for engagement with the levers 32 at their ends 32a. Member 38 also comprises an eX- tension 38a and a hub recess 38?), Fig. 4, both utilizable as hereinafter described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, that side plate 3 at the extreme left carries a member 39, in turn, carrying one or more coils or wind ings 40 with which an armature41 coacts, said armature being pivoted on a rod 42 carried by a bracket 43 projecting from said last named side plate 3. Movement of armature 41 in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 1, may be limited by a stop member 44 likewise projecting from said last named side plate 3; Said armature 41 comprises an extension 41a coactable with the end of member 1 to move the same from left to right, Fig. 1, as hereinafter more fully described. 7

As illustrated in Fig. 7-, lugs 34 on each drum D may be arranged to operate a limit switch 45 comprising the switch contacts 46 and 460; which are normally closed and in series circuit relation with that set of coils 28 which operate the drum controlling said contacts 46 and 46a. The limit switch 45 is thus operated should further movement of thedrum D be attempted after the latter has been moved through a sufficiently large angle to bring the largest digit into View opposite an aperture 2a in face plate 2.

In the form of my invention herein illustrated, four drums D are provided and hence there are four of the sets of coils 28 as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8. As just stated, each set of coils 28 is in series with'a limit switch 45 also illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8. One side ofall the limit switches 45 may be connected to a common conductor 47 leading to one terminal ofa 'batl 5 other terminals of the sets of coils 28 may be connected to the other terminal of the aforesaid source of electrical energy and each may extend to a suitable impulse transmitter or circuit closing device whereby the drums D are stopped or moved to a desired degree, as hereinafter more fully described. Preferably, each conductor 48 includes separable contact members 49 and 50 indicated structurally in Figs. 2 and 3 and diagrammatically in Fig. 8. The contact members 49 are carried in Sid-bY-Slde spaced relation for example, by the aforesaid member 39 whereas the contact members 50 are also carried in side by-side, spaced relation by the face plate 2. With tie latter maintained in proper position, for example, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the respective sets of contact members L9 and 50 are properly disposed and maintained in electrical circuit relation. Where the construction is as just described, the indicating devices 2 may readily be removed or displaced in respect to the face plate to permit inspection or repair of some of the parts.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 8, one terminal of the set of coils 40 may be connecter dire-tly to the aforesaid common conductor t? while the conductor 51 leads to a contact 52 coactable with but separable from another contact 53, the contacts 52 and 53 corresponding with and being mounted the same as the aforesaid contacts 49 and 50. The conductor leading from contact 53 may include a suitable impulse transmitter or the like for energizing the coils 40 when desired.

As shown herein and as heretofore stated, four of the drums D are illustrated although it shall be understood that more or less of said drums may be utilized as desired. Each drum D, as h reinbefore pointed out, is assoiated with mechanism of the character illustrated in Fig. 1 and including the parts through inclusive, 38, 38a, 38?), 45, 4:6 and the. here are as many sets of the coils 28 'as there are drums but there is but one set of the coils 40.

Assumin that all of the drums D have come to zero or blank position in response to movement of member 1 from left to right, Fig. 1, as hereinafter more fully described, a single lever 32- at its end 325 will be in the path of and form a stop for the projection 34 on each drum D. All other levers 32 occupy and, under the influence of the springs 33, retain an oscillated position such as occupied by the bottom lever 32 shown Fig. 1 where their ends 32?) are out of the path of projection 34. After member 1 has been moved from left to right described above, it is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 by the spring 36 so that each cam 38 occupies the relative position shown.

To produce the number illustrated in Fig. 5, namely, 7120,-the set of coils 28 for the drum D shown at the left of Fig. 5 are energized seven times. The remaining drums are similarly actuated by a number of impulses equal to the digit to be indicated. In other words, as viewed from left to right, Fig. 5, the drums D are actuated, respectively, by seven, one, two, and zero impulses. Anyparticular drum D need not be moved to its final position before the others are actuated. Thus, the drum D shown at the left of Fig. 1 may be. actuated three times, after which that drum D shown as second from the left may be actuated whereupon said drum D shown at the left may be further actuated. In other words, the sequence of drum actuation may be such as is suitable or desirable.

More specifically, with the drum D shown at the left of Fig. 5 in its zero position, energization of its set of coils 28 causes armature to be attracted whereby lever 15 is swung in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 2. As a result, pawl 13, by engagement effected with the ratchet atthe end of hub .5, moves or advances said hub one step in which i. is held by the holding pawl 10. Disk moves with hub 5 in counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 4, and, due to engagement effected by the upper vertical lever 32 with the projection 34 of drum DE, the latter is advanced or moved one step to bring the digit one into view. The above described movement of hub 5 stores some energy in the spring- 8.

The key impulse transmitter or circuit control device associated with the set of coils 28 noted immediately above, causes energizetion thereof, usually, for but a brief period whereupon said coils 28 are in condition for subsequent energization. When they are again energized, the operation described above is repeated and. the drum D exhibits the digit two. i

In a similar manner, all of the drums D are actuated in response to energization of their respective sets of coils 28. Finally, exhibition of the desired number is effected which.

in the example illustrated, is the number 7120.

When a new quotation is to be exhibited or when it becomes necessary to exhibit a number made up of digits any one of which is lower than is exhibited at that particular time, the set of coils 40 are energized momentarily to move the member 1 from left to right, Fig. 1. In. so doing, each cam 38 is caused to coact with two levers of that set of levers 32 carried by the adjacent disk '30.

If, for example, the disk 30 shown in Fig. l has been moved by seven impulses of energy to cause the drum D to exhibit the digit seven, the projection 34 and the adjacent lever 32 will have been moved seven steps in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 4:. Accordingly, when the adjacent cam 38 is moved as just described, the end 32a. of said last named lever 32 will be engaged thereby and the end 32b thereof disengaged from the projection 3e and removed from the path thereof. Accordingly, under the influence of spring 8, drum D immediately starts to retraceits path in a clockwise direction, Fig. 4.

When said last named lever 32 was operated as just described, the extension 38a of cam 38 engages that lever 32 which is now occupying the vertical upper position, Fig. 4:. As a result, the end 32?) of said last named lever 32 is moved into the path of the projection 34 of drum D, this action being permitted because the end 3254 of said last named lever 32 moves with the passage 38?) of cam 38. Said last named lever 32 is releasably held in the position to which moved as last described, by the adjacent spring 33.

Said last named lever 32 may remain in the position to which moved as last described until engaged by the lug 34 of drum D at which time, said drum D is in its zero position. However, and this is a distinct feature of my invention, energizations of the set of coils 28 may be initiated as soon as said last named lever 32 has been positioned as last described; when this is done, the end 32?) of the latter, instead of remaining stationary, may be moved step-by-setp by the succeeding impulses, toward the moving lug 34; of drum D. Under such circumstances, the drum D is not always permitted to fully return to its zero position but is engaged, at its projection 34, somewhere along the returning path of the latter by the end 325 of said last named lever 32. hen engagement is thus effected, said last named lever may already have been moved to position effecting a desired indication by the drum D or, movement of said last named lever 32 may not have been completed. If the latter is the case, drum D is again moved in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. l, until it comes to its proper position as determined by the num ber of electrical impulses applied to the aforesaid set of coils 28.

All of the drums D operate in a manner similar to that just described. As a result, the system is highly eliicient and rapid, particularly because in the restoration operation, the performance of a very simple act, namely, momentary energization ofthe set of coils 40 places the system in conditlon for a succeeding series of impulses. Therefore, in accordance With my invention, it is unnecessary to await return of the drums D to their Zero positions before initiation of the succeeding impulses. s

The limit switches 45, when provided, are arranged to open the circuit of any set of coils 28 of the drum D associatedtherewith should an attempt be made to move the latter beyond the last indicating position. Improper displacements of the dials and over-tensioning of the return springs are thereby avoided.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certain particular preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, an indicia-bearing drum biased for movement in one direction about its axis, ratchet means for operating said drum, a member restraining said ratchet means for rotation in but one direction, a disk rotatable with said ratchet means, a plurality of levers radially disposed on one face-of said disk for individually disengageably connecting said drum and said ratchet means, and means for simultaneously moving any lever connecting said drum and ratchet means into inoperative position and for moving the one of the remaining levers that is located in a position corresponding to the home position of the drum into connecting position.

2. In combination, an indicia-bearing drum, means for biasing said drum for move ment in one direction about its axis, ratchet means for operating said drum, a member restraining said ratchet means for rotation in but one direction, a disk rotatable with said ratchet means, a plurality of levers of the first class radially disposed on one face of said disk for individually disengageably connecting said drum and ratchet means, and a member movably axially with respect to said disk, provided with means for engaging one end-of a lever located in the home position of the drum for moving said lever into connecting position and with means engaging the opposite ends of the other levers for moving any one of said other levers into disconnecting position.

3. In combination, a rotatable indicator biased for rotational movement in one direction, rotatable driving means rotatable in a direction to move the indicator in the opposite direction from normal home position to a set-up position, cooperating means on said indicator and driving means for connecting said driving means to said indicator in any rotated position of said driving means and the home position of said indicator, and means for controlling said cooperating means to release said indicator to permit it to move into home position and to connect the indicator in its home position and the driving means in its moved position.

4. In combination, a rotatable indicator biased for rotational movement in one direction to home position, a. forwardly operable rotatable driving means, a disk driven from said driving means, aplurality of levers on said disk corresponding in number to the indicia positions on said indicator, a cooperating stop member on said indicator cooperating with an operated lever to arrest the indicator in home position and to move the disk forwardly to a new set-up position, means for operating said levers to break the cooperative relation between any lever and said indicator and to establish a cooperative relation b tween another lever and said indicator to arrest the indicator in home position and to move it forwardly on the next operation of the driving means.

5. In combination, a plurality of indicators biased for movement from a setup position into home position, a forwardly operating driving means for each indicator, a plurality of connecting means between each driving means and its indicator for driving the indicator forwardly to a set-up position, means for simultaneously releasing operated connecting means to release said indicators and for simultaneously operating other of said connecting means to arrest the respective indicators in home position and drive the indicators forwardly during a new setting-up operation.

6. The combination of a plurality of rotatable indicators biased for movement in one direction, a common supporting rod for said indicators, a ratchet for each indicator, means for connecting each ratchet to its indicator in any rotated position of said operated means, and means for moving said rod for simulta neously releasing all of said connecting means between said operating means and said indicators, and for establishing new connections which limit the movement of the indicators in their home position and constitute connections for a subsequent operation of the indicators.

7. In combination, a rotatable indicator biased for rotation in one direction, a ratchet driving means for the indicator movable in one direction, a plurality of means associated with said ratchet means and indicator for establishing a driving connection between said driving means and said indicator, means for operating the connecting means corresponding to the Zero position of the drum and the position of the ratchet opposite thereto, and means for releasing said connection in the operated position of the indicator and for establishing a new connection for limiting the movement of the indicator to its home position.

8. In combination, an indicator supporting frame, a rotatable indicator within said frame, a rod slidably mounted in said frame, a ratchet slidably mounted on said rod and rotatably supporting said indicator, a hub on said ratchet extending through said indicator, a disk member supported on said hub on the opposite side of said indicator with respect to said ratchet, a series of connecting devices carried by said disk, a projection on said indicator adapted to be engaged by any one of said connecting devices, and means on said rod adapted upon movement of said rod to control said connections to disengage the indicator from said disk when the indicator is in moved position and to prepare a connection between the indicator and disk efiective after the disk has moved into its home position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

MERTON L. HASELTON. 

